Ford Kas are awesome
Discussion
My mum has been really ill of late and her 2004 Ford Ka had been sat on the drive for a month without moving. I decided to give it a bit of a run and use it for work for a couple of days, just to get some use out of it.
Apart from their subjectively 'girly' looks, I'd forgotten how much of a drivers car they really are! Completely chuckable and predictable with that awesome 'wheel at each corner' feeling you can only get from a supermini and all at legal speeds.
Everyone should have one.
Ok, that's my fawning over. Carry on.
Apart from their subjectively 'girly' looks, I'd forgotten how much of a drivers car they really are! Completely chuckable and predictable with that awesome 'wheel at each corner' feeling you can only get from a supermini and all at legal speeds.
Everyone should have one.
Ok, that's my fawning over. Carry on.
Could the Ford Ka be the new Mini?
Bear with me here.
Light, FWD, good to drive, cheap to buy, cheap to run.
Not sure how open to tuning or engine transplants they are but if you can get a VTEC unit in a mini?
Whilst I doubt they will ever reach the same cult status (rallying and racing as well as being the first of their kind like the Mini) is the Mk1/2 Ka a source of cheap thrills for the modern age?
Bear with me here.
Light, FWD, good to drive, cheap to buy, cheap to run.
Not sure how open to tuning or engine transplants they are but if you can get a VTEC unit in a mini?
Whilst I doubt they will ever reach the same cult status (rallying and racing as well as being the first of their kind like the Mini) is the Mk1/2 Ka a source of cheap thrills for the modern age?
Dave_ST220 said:
The brakes are far from "awesome".
I'm with him. The one I had for a day was scary in the brakes department. Nothing nothing nothing....OH fork...something...ARRGGHHH...EVERYTHING It was like using a dodgy on off switch you had to push really hard. And it only had something like 12,000 on the clock. And I'd describe the handling as "lurchy". It was a courtesy car from Ford however....so god knows how many times it'd been abused before I had the dubious pleasure. But compared to the Focus I had at the time it was like driving a biscuit tin with 3 wheels and a lasso for brakes.Basically I didn't get on with it at all. Terrible thing.
dougc said:
Not sure how open to tuning or engine transplants they are but if you can get a VTEC unit in a mini?
I believe it's not unknown for people to drop the Puma's 1.7 VCT into a Ka.dougc said:
Whilst I doubt they will ever reach the same cult status (rallying and racing as well as being the first of their kind like the Mini) is the Mk1/2 Ka a source of cheap thrills for the modern age?
Not sure about the cheap bit, despite its baby engine and lack of weight, they're not as good as you think when it comes to drinking.Brakes may be a little uninspriring, but the car teaches you a great lesson in conservation of momentum, and using the brakes therefore is null and void.
First car I ever got both a four wheel drift AND lift off oversteer in.
Awesome stereos too.
if I ever had to buy a cheap to run and insure car again, the Ka would be it.
First car I ever got both a four wheel drift AND lift off oversteer in.
Awesome stereos too.
if I ever had to buy a cheap to run and insure car again, the Ka would be it.dougc said:
Could the Ford Ka be the new Mini?
Bear with me here.
Light, FWD, good to drive, cheap to buy, cheap to run.
Not sure how open to tuning or engine transplants they are but if you can get a VTEC unit in a mini?
Whilst I doubt they will ever reach the same cult status (rallying and racing as well as being the first of their kind like the Mini) is the Mk1/2 Ka a source of cheap thrills for the modern age?
You can fit a Cosworth YB into one. Bear with me here.
Light, FWD, good to drive, cheap to buy, cheap to run.
Not sure how open to tuning or engine transplants they are but if you can get a VTEC unit in a mini?
Whilst I doubt they will ever reach the same cult status (rallying and racing as well as being the first of their kind like the Mini) is the Mk1/2 Ka a source of cheap thrills for the modern age?
Dave_ST220 said:
The brakes are far from "awesome".
Everytime I drive our KA I never seem to notice, they just go round corners at anything under Vmax so brakes are academic 
As for them being the next classic mini it is possible in terms of their low tech/high fun nature but they have never really managed the cult status of the isigonis mini and because a lot of the love for the mini seems to be based on the number of ways you can modify one I doubt it ever will be the same.
Engine conversions are another matter there are turbo conversions available for the Duratec motor, Zetec motors will fit, with lots of work a Focus RS engine can be made to fit, the 1.7 Puma engine slots in well, and if I got my way an ST170 motor would find its way under the bonnet but fitting the gearbox would be an issue.
dougc said:
Rawwr said:
Not sure about the cheap bit, despite its baby engine and lack of weight, they're not as good as you think when it comes to drinking.
Is that a legacy of the old pushrod Anglia 105e engine they used early on?dougc said:
Rawwr said:
Not sure about the cheap bit, despite its baby engine and lack of weight, they're not as good as you think when it comes to drinking.
Is that a legacy of the old pushrod Anglia 105e engine they used early on?Rawwr said:
dougc said:
Rawwr said:
Not sure about the cheap bit, despite its baby engine and lack of weight, they're not as good as you think when it comes to drinking.
Is that a legacy of the old pushrod Anglia 105e engine they used early on?Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff